Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Charlotte Oliver | KITTERY, Maine (July 11, 2025) – Captain Jason Deichler, Commander, Submarine...... read more read more
The Los Angeles-class improved-attack submarine USS Cheyenne (SSN 773) held a change of command ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Kittery, Maine, July 11.
Commander Mark Rostedt relieved Cmdr. Cmdr. Kyle Calton as commanding officer during the event.
“You are bringing your great warship back to sea,” said Capt. Mark Robinson, Deputy Commander Submarine Squadron Four, who served as guest speaker. “The hard work you are doing right now, is what will provide our country one of its most prized weapons, a highly trained fast-attack submarine. You are part of bringing this most important asset back to sea.”
Robinson, who served alongside Calton on USS North Dakota in 2018, praised Calton’s leadership and how he truly embraced the ‘code of the west’ that embodies the Cheyenne.
“He fully immersed himself in the heart and soul of Cheyenne and her great namesake out in Wyoming,” continued Robinson. “While I don’t know if anyone would call him a cowboy, it’s easy to find a Cheyenne Sailor, just look for the giant belt buckles.”
Calton, who assumed command of Cheyenne in March 2023, said, “Today I want to reflect on this time, not for my sake or personal boast, but to humbly acknowledge and not-so-humbly brag on the remarkable work each and every one of you has put into getting Cheyenne where it is today.”
“To all of you here, I owe a debt of gratitude for the part you’ve played in supporting Cheyenne,” Calton continued to praise his crew. “Cherish the good days, always emulating what right looks like and teaching the next generation all the hard lessons what you learned along the way.”
Calton also thanked his wife and children for their unwavering support and love during his tour.
Next to “Ride the Legend”, the Cheyenne motto, Rostedt is a 2007 graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy.
“I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast, for I intend to go into harm’s way,” quoted Rostedt. “Capt. John Paul Jones wrote those words nearly 250 years ago. I find this quote meaningful on this occasion, given the strong connection this region has in building the fast ship he desired. I could not be more proud to work with this shipyard, our project team and project superintendent, Mr. Jerry Legere, to launch another fast ship, some would say a legendary ship.”
Cheyenne is currently at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard for scheduled upgrades and maintenance.
Commissioned on Sept. 16, 1996, Cheyenne is the third U.S. Navy ship to be named for the capitol city of Wyoming and is the last Los Angeles-class submarine to be built. At 361 feet long, it can displace more than 7,000 tons. Cheyenne currently operates under Commander, Submarine Squadron Two in Kittery, Maine.
Attack submarines are multi-mission platforms that enable five of the six core capabilities of the Navy’s maritime strategy: sea control, power projection, forward presence, maritime security, and deterrence. They are designed for excellence in anti-submarine warfare, anti-ship warfare, strike warfare, special operations, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, irregular warfare, and mine warfare. Attack submarines also project power ashore through special operations forces and Tomahawk cruise missiles, playing a critical role in preventing or preparing for regional crises.
As the Navy’s leader in attack submarine maintenance and modernization, PNSY enhances critical warfighting capabilities by safely delivering first-time quality work, ensuring our undersea warfighters are battle-ready when called upon.
| Date Taken: | 07.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 07.11.2025 16:51 |
| Story ID: | 542600 |
| Location: | KITTERY, MAINE, US |
| Web Views: | 267 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, USS Cheyenne (SSN 773) Holds Change of Command, by PO1 Charlotte Oliver, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
